Multi-function lantern including flashing lantern cap

ABSTRACT

A lantern having a flashing lantern cap includes a flashing lantern cap, a head, and a handle. The flashing lantern cap is formed to be capable of being detachable from the lantern to make light emitted from a lamp of the lantern to flash. The flashing lantern cap is attached at the fore end of the head. The head has the lamp inside and into which the flashing lantern cap is inserted. The handle is coupled to the rear end of the head and stores a battery inside. The handle can further include at the rear end thereof a multi-function portion having at least one of a cutter for cutting provided at an angled inlet, a hammer for breaking a car window, and a compressed gas injector used for self-defense.

This application is a 371 of PCT/KR 98/00297 filed on Sep. 26 1998

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a lantern, and more particularly, to amulti-function lantern including a flashing lantern cap which can beused as a flashlight, a cutter, a hammer, and a compressed gas injector.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general, a lantern is a portable illumination apparatus used to seein the dark places. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventionallantern. As shown in the drawing, a front cap 12 formed of transparentplastic material is coupled to a screw formed at an end of the lantern100. Thus, the light emitted from the lantern 100 proceeds straightforward and simultaneously diverges outward by the front cap 12.

However, since the conventional lantern 100 must additionally includethe front cap 12, it is inconvenient to keep and store the front cap 12separately. Also, since the size of the front cap 12 attached to thelantern 100 is small, it is not appropriate to be used as a flashinglantern cap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present inventionto provide a multi-purpose lantern having a flashing lantern cap keptinside and also having a hammer, a cutter, and a compressed gas injectorat an opposite end thereof.

Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a lanternhaving a flashing lantern cap which comprises a flashing lantern cap,formed to be capable of being detachable from the lantern, for makinglight emitted from a lamp of the lantern to flash, a head portion towhich the flashing lantern cap is attached at the fore end thereof,having the lamp therein, and into which the flashing lantern cap isinserted and a handle portion coupled to the rear end of the headportion and having a battery inside.

It is preferable in the present invention that the handle portionfurther comprises, at the rear end thereof, a multi-function portionhaving at least one of a cutter for cutting provided at an angled inlet,a hammer for breaking a car window, and a compressed gas injector usedfor self-defense.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objective and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment threof withreference to the attached drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional lantern;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a lantern with a flashing capaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 3a is a perspective view illustrating in detail the flashinglantern cap of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3b is a view showing a flashing lantern cap according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a head portion of the lantern of FIG.in which the flashing lantern cap is kept;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a handle portion of the lantern ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing other functional portionsof the lantern of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the lamp socket of FIG. 2 accordingto another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8a is a sectional view showing the lamp socket of FIG. 2 accordingto yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8b is a perspective view showing the storing cap of FIG. 8a; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the handle portion of FIG. 2according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 2 shows a lantern including a flashing lantern cap according to thepresent invention. As shown in the drawing, the lantern including aflashing light cap includes a flashing lantern cap 300, a head portion400, a handle portion 500, and a multi-function portion 600.

FIG. 3a shows the flashing lantern cap 300 in detail. As shown in thedrawing, the flashing lantern cap 300 is a pipe and formed of red orwhite, semitransparent or transparent material. The flashing lantern cap300 has a hole 31 at the fore end surface thereof and openscrew-threaded portion 32 at the outer circumferential surface of therear end thereof.

FIG. 3b shows another embodiment of the flashing lantern cap 300. Asshown in the drawing, a protrusion 33 is formed at opposing positions onthe outer circumferential surface of the rear end of the flashinglantern cap 300. The protrusion 33 is inserted into grooves 44 formed atcorresponding positions on the inner circumferential surface of the foreend of the head portion 400, so that the flashing lantern cap 300 andthe head portion 400 are coupled together.

FIG. 4 shows the head portion 400 in which the flashing lantern cap 300is kept As shown in the drawing, the head portion 400 comprises a capportion 40 and a body portion 42. The body portion 42 includes atransparent window 1, a reflection mirror 2 of a funnel shape installedinside the body portion 42, a lamp 3 positioned at the center of thereflection mirror 2, and a lamp socket 7 for housing and supporting thelamp 3 and electrically connecting to the lamp 3. Here, referencenumeral 8 represents a space formed between the lamp socket 7 and thebody portion 42.

The outer circumferential surface of the rear end of the flashinglantern cap 300 where the screw-threaded portion 32 is formed, as shownin FIG. 3a, is coupled to a screw-threaded portion 40 a formed on theinner circumferential surface of the fore end of the cap portion 40shown in FIG. 4.

Also, as a screw-threaded portion 4 is formed on the innercircumferential surface of the rear end of the cap portion 40 and ascrew-threaded portion 5 is formed on the outer circumferential surfaceof the fore end of the body portion 42, the screw-threaded portions 4and 5 are conjoined such that the cap portion 40 and the body portion 42are coupled to one another. Further, in order to prevent intrusion ofthe moisture or water from the outside, an O-ring 6 is provided betweenthe cap portion 40 and the body portion 42.

The flashing lantern cap 300 not in use is kept in the space 8 formedbetween the lamp socket 7 and the body portion 42. When the cap portion40 is detached from the body portion 42 to insert the flashing lanterncap 300, the transparent window 1, the reflection mirror 2, and the lampsocket 7 coupled to the cap portion 40 are detached from the bodyportion 42. Then, the fore end of the flashing lantern cap 300 isinserted into the space 8 of the head portion 400. Then the cap portion40 having the transparent window 1, the reflection mirror 2, and thelamp socket 7 is coupled to the body portion 42 so that the flashinglantern cap 300 is kept inside the head portion 400, not being shownfrom the outside.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3b, the flashing lantern cap 300 mayhave the protrusion 33 at the opposite positions of the outercircumferential surface of the rear end of the flashing lantern cap 300.The protrusion 33 is inserted into the groove 44 so that the flashinglantern cap 300 and the head portion 400 can be coupled together.

FIG. 5 shows the handle portion 500 of FIG. 2. Here, the flashinglantern cap 300 is longer than that of FIG. 4 and an auxiliary pipe 54is used unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

A screw-threaded portion 42 a formed on the inner circumferentialsurface of the rear end of the body portion 42 of FIG. 4 and ascrew-threaded portion 50 a formed on the outer circumferential surfaceof the handle portion 500 as shown in FIG. 5 are conjoined so that thehandle portion 500 is coupled at the rear end of the head portion 400.

Here, since the O-ring 6 is provided between the screw-threaded portion50 a of the handle portion 500 and the screw-threaded portion, 42 a ofthe head portion 400, external moisture or water is prevented fromintruding into the inside thereof.

A rear cap 52 is provided at the read end of the handle portion 500 as apreferred embodiment of the present invention. The rear cap 52 having ascrew-threaded portion 52 a formed on the outer circumferential surfacethereof is screw-coupled to a screw-threaded portion 50 b formed on theinner circumferential surface of the rear end of the handle portion 500.Here, the O-ring 6 is provided between the screw-threaded portion 52 aand 50 b to prevent intrusion of the outside air and water. By insertingthe inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary pipe 54 into theouter circumferential surface of the lamp socket 7, or by being coupledby screw-threaded portion 7 b and 7 a respectively formed on the outercircumferential surface of the rear end of the lamp socket 7 and theinner circumferential surface of the auxiliary pipe 54, the auxiliarypipe 54 is supported by the rear cap 52 or the lamp socket 7, theauxiliary pipe 54 containing a battery 56 can be stably supported insidethe handle portion 50.

The power supplied from the battery 56 contained in the auxiliary pipe54 is applied to the lamp 3 through the inside of the lamp socket 7 toturn on the lamp 3. Also, a spring 57 is provided between the fore endof the rear cap 52 and the battery 56 to stably supply power from thebattery 56 by closely pressing the lamp socket 7 toward the lamp 3.

Also, the diameter of the auxiliary pipe 54 is constructed to be lessthan that of the handle portion 500 so that a space for inserting theflashing lantern cap 300 can be formed between the auxiliary pipe 54 andthe handle portion 500. Therefore, The flashing lantern cap 300 formedto be rather long can be kept in the space formed inside a lantern, i.e,inside the handle portion 500.

FIG. 6 shows a multi-function portion 600 of FIG. 2, As shown in thedrawing, the multi-function portion 600 provided as an alternative tothe rear cap 52 includes a cuter 67 a, a hammer 68, a compressed gasportion 660, and a pair of coupling pieces 66 a and 66 b. Here, thecoupling pieces 66 a and 66 b are assembled to include the cutter 67 a,the hammer 68, and the compressed gas portion 660 inside, although aportion of the compressed gas portion 660 is disposed inside the handleportion 320.

The handle portion 520 shown in FIG. 6 is different from the handleportion 500 of FIG. 5 in the structure of the rear end. That is, thehandle portion 520 includes a first screw-threaded portion 50 c and asecond screw-threaded portion 50 d respectively formed at the innercircumferential surfaces of the upper and lower portions thereof, asshown in FIG. 6. The separating cap 53 having the O-ring 6 and ascrew-threaded portion 52 b at the outer circumferential surface thereofand a slot 53 a at one side surface thereof to be rotated by a screwdriver is coupled to the second screw-threaded portion 50 d of thehandle portion 520.

The compressed gas portion 660 includes a button 64, an outlet pipe 62,and a compressed gas container 60. The compressed gas container 60,disposed between the separating cap 53 and the rear end of the handleportion 520, is filled with a compressed gas such as tear gas or pepperspray which can be used for self-defense by pressing down on the button64 to eject the filled gas through the outlet pipe 62.

The outlet pipe 62 of the compressed gas container 60 is held betweenthe coupling pieces 66 a and 66 b as they are assembled. That is, sincea groove 65 is formed on each of the facing surfaces of the couplingpieces 66 a and 66 b, the outlet pipe 62 of the compressed gas container60 is placed in the groove 65. The button 64 to press the outlet pipe 62downward is provided at the bent portion of the outlet pipe 62. Here,the button 64 protrudes above the coupling pieces 66 a and 66 bassembled to facilitate a pressing operation

Also,each of the coupling pieces 66 a and 66 b has a screw-threadedportation 66 c so that the screw-threaded portion 66 c is combined withthe first screw-threaded potion 50 c formed on the inner circumferentialsurface of the handle portion 520 as the assembled coupling pieces 66 aand 66 b are screw-coupled to the handle portion 520. Further, thescrew-threaded portion 66 c of the coupling pieces 66 a and 66 b has anO-ring so that the external moisture or water is prevented fromintruding into the inside. In the lantern having a flashing lantern capaccording to the present invention, since O-rings are used at everycoupling points excluding the flashing lantern cap to prevent intrusionof moisture or water, a waterproof lantern can be manufactured.

An angled inlet 67 provided for safety is formed at one side of thecoupling pieces 66 a and 66 b. A cutter 67 a is provided at the angledinlet 67 as shown in FIG. 6. A hammer 68 formed of metallic material isprovided at the opposite side of the angled inlet 67. Both the cuter 67a and the hammer 68 are fixed inside the coupling pieces 66 a and 66 bas they are assembled.

Also, screw holes 69 a, 69 b, and 69 c are formed on the coupling pieces66 a and 66 b and a screw hole 69 d is formed on the handle portion 520,so that the coupling pieces can be assembled by screws. Here, thecoupling pieces 66 a and 66 b are fixed to the handle portion 520 by thescrew holes 69 c and 69 d. Since the head portion 400, the handleportion 500(520), and the multi-function portion 600, excluding theflashing lantern cap 300, is formed of metallic material, theyaltogether form a closed circuit so that an electrical current generatedform the battery 56 flows therethrough Also, a switch 58 for turning thelamp 3 on and off is formed to protrude above the outer surface of thehandle portion 520 at one side of a switch portion 58 a including aswitch mechanism. Also, it is obvious that, without the switch 58, thelamp 3 can be turned on and off by rotating the head portion 400, thehandle portion 500(520), and the multi-function portion 600, each in anopposite direction, thereby making electrical contact between therespective portions to contact or separate from each other.

FIG. 7 shows another preferred embodiment of the lamp socket 7 of FIG.2. As shown in the drawing, a lamp socket 9 includes a contact member78, a spring 79, and an insulation pipe 80.

The contact member 78 contacts a power terminal of the lamp 3 to flowelectricity The spring 79 applies a force to closely press the contactmember 78 to the lamp and simultaneously applies electrical power fromthe battery 56 to the contact member 78. The insulation pipe 80 preventsthe electricity flowing through the contact member 78 and the spring 79from flowing through the lamp socket 7. Thus a preliminary lamp 77 canbe stored and kept further in a space inside the spring 79 to be usedwhen the lamp 3 goes out.

FIG. 8a shows yet another preferred embodiment of the lamp socket 7 ofFIG. 2. As shown in the drawing, a storing cap 70 having an indentationportion 71 formed by cutting away a portion thereof is provided inside alamp socket 9. The preliminary lamp 77 is stored in the indentationportion 71 by being wrapped in a wrapping member 88 such as a sponge orcotton.

FIG. 8b shows the storing cap 70 of FIG. 8a. As shown in the drawing,the storing cap 70 has an electrically conductive member 72 passingthrough the inside thereof so that electrical power of the battery 56 isapplied to the power terminal of the lamp 3. Also, the storing cap 70 iscoupled to the lamp socket 9 by combining a screw-threaded portion 7 cformed on the outer circumferential surface of the storing cap 70 and ascrew-threaded portion 7 d formed on the inner circumferential surfaceof the lamp socket 9.

FIG. 9 shows another preferred embodiment of the handle 500 of FIG. 2.As shown the drawing, the handle portion 500 includes a storing portion73 between the auxiliary pipe 54 and the switch portion 58 a. Thestoring portion 73 has, at one side thereof, an indentation portion 73 afor storing the preliminary lamp 77 which is wrapped by the wrappingmember 88 such as a sponge or cotton. A conductive member 72 for flowingelectricity between the spring 57 and the battery 56 is provided insidethe storing cap 73.

When the lantern of the present invention is provided in a vehicle, thecutter 67 a can be used to cut the safety belt in an emergency situationsuch as a car accident and the hammer 68 can be used to break a windowso that a person stuck inside the car can easily escape therefrom. Alsothe compressed gas portion 660 may be used as a self-defense apparatuswhen one is exposed to violence. The flashing lantern cap 300 is usefulwhen a car accident occurs and it is needed to direct traffic at night.

It is noted that the present invention is not limited to the preferredembodiment described above, and it is apparent that variations andmodifications by those skilled in the art can be effected within thespirit and scope of the present invention defined in the appendedclaims.

As described above, since the lantern according to the present inventionincludes the flashing lantern cap which is kept inside the lantern, ahammer for breaking a window and a cutter for cutting the safety belt inan emergency situation, and a compressed gas injector used forself-defense use, the lantern has various function as above in additionto the conventional function of providing light at night.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lantern having a flashing lantern cap,comprising: a cap portion having screw-threaded portions formed at theinner circumferential surface of front and rear ends thereof; a lampsocket comprising a transparent window received in the cap portion and areflection mirror of a hemisphere shape installed inside the transparentwindow, the lamp socket coupled to the inner circumferential surface ofthe cap portion, wherein a lamp is positioned at a center of thereflection mirror; a body portion screw-coupled to the innercircumferential surface of the rear end of the cap portion, the bodyportion for keeping the lamp socket therein; a handle portion foraccommodating a battery therein, the handle portion being screw-coupledto the body portion at an outer circumference of a front end of thehandle portion; a flashing lantern cap of a pipe shape having ascrew-threaded portion protruding from an outer circumferential surfaceof a rear end thereof to be coupled to the screw-threaded portion at theinner circumferential surface of the front end of the cap portion, theflashing lantern cap having a hole at a front end thereof, the flashinglantern cap being kept inside the handle portion such that thescrew-threaded portion at the outer circumferential surface of the rearend of the flashing lantern cap is kept inside the body portion when itis not used.
 2. The lantern of claim 1, wherein a multi-function portionis provided at the rear end of said handle portion, the multi-functionportion comprises a cutter provided in the angled inled, and a hammerformed of metallic material at an opposite site of the angled inlet; theangled inlet is formed at one side of two coupling pieces, Both thecutter and the hammer are fixed inside the coupling pieces as they areassembled.
 3. The lantern of claim 1, wherein the handle portion furthercomprises an auxiliary pipe for stably containing batteries within saidflashing lantern cap.
 4. The lantern of claim 3, wherein said auxiliarypipe is supported by a screw-threaded portion formed at said auxiliarypipe and a screw-threaded portion formed at said lamp socket, which arejoined together.
 5. The lantern of claim 1, wherein a preliminary lampis stored inside said lamp socket, and wherein a storing cap having anindentation portion formed at one side thereof is provided inside saidlamp socket so that said preliminary lamp is stored in said indentationportion by being wrapped in a wrapping member and the storing cap has aconductive member through which electricity flows between said lamp anda battery.
 6. The lantern of claim 1, wherein a preliminary lamp isstored inside said lamp socket, and wherein said lamp socket comprises acontact member contacting a power terminal of said lamp; a springapplying a force to closely press said contact member onto said lamp andpower supplied from a battery to said contact member, and an insulationpipe having said contact member and said spring therein for preventingelectricity flowing through said contact member and said spring fromflowing to said lamp socket, so that said preliminary lamp is stored ina space formed inside said spring.
 7. The lantern of claim 1, whereinsaid handle portion stores a preliminary lamp.
 8. A lantern having aflashing lantern cap, comprising: a cap portion having screw-threadedportions formed at the inner circumferential surface of front and rearends thereof; a lamp socket comprising a transparent window received inthe cap portion and a reflection mirror of a hemisphere shape installedinside the transparent window, the lamp socket coupled to the innercircumferential surface of the cap portion, wherein a lamp is positionedat a center of the reflection mirror; a body portion screw-coupled tothe inner circumferential surface of the rear end of the cap portion,the body portion for keeping the lamp socket therein; a handle portionfor accommodating a battery therein, the handle portion beingscrew-coupled to the body portion at an outer circumference of a frontend of the handle portion; wherein a handle portion comprises a switchwhich is provided at the rear portion of the rear portion of the handleto be exposed to the outside; a flashing lantern cap of a pipe shapehaving a screw-threaded portion protruding from an outer circumferentialsurface of a rear end thereof to be coupled to the screw-threadedportion at the inner circumferential surface of the front end of the capportion, the flashing lantern cap having a hole at a front end thereof,the flashing lantern cap being kept inside the handle portion such thatthe screw-threaded portion at the outer circumferential surface of therear end of the flashing lantern cap is kept inside the body portionwhen it is not used.
 9. The lantern of claim 8, wherein a multi-functionportion is provided at the rear end of said handle portion, themulti-function portion comprises a cutter provided in the angled inlet,and a hammer formed of metallic material at an opposite site of theangled inlet; the angled inlet is formed at one side of two couplingpieces, both the cutter and the hammer are fixed inside the couplingpieces as they are assembled.
 10. The lantern of claim 8, wherein thehandle portion further comprises an auxiliary pipe for stably containingbatteries within said flashing lantern cap.
 11. The lantern of claim 10,wherein said auxiliary pipe is supported by a screw-threaded portionformed at said auxiliary pipe and a screw-threaded portion formed atsaid lamp socket, which are joined together.
 12. The lantern of claim 8,wherein a preliminary lamp is stored inside said lamp socket, andwherein a storing cap having an indentation portion formed at one sidethereof is provided inside said lamp socket so that said preliminarylamp is stored in said indentation portion by being wrapped in awrapping member and the storing cap has a conductive member throughwhich electricity flows between said lamp and a battery.
 13. The lanternof claim 8, wherein a preliminary lamp is stored inside said lampsocket, and wherein said lamp socket comprises a contact membercontacting a power terminal of said lamp; a spring applying a force toclosely press said contact member onto said lamp and power supplied froma battery to said contact member, and an insulation pipe having saidcontact member and said spring therein for preventing electricityflowing through said contact member and said spring from flowing to saidlamp socket, so that said preliminary lamp is stored in a space formedinside said spring.
 14. The lantern of claim 8, wherein said handleportion stores a preliminary lamp, wherein a storing portion is providedinside said handle portion between an auxiliary pipe and a switchportion; said preliminary lamp is stored in said storing portion bybeing wrapped in a wrapping member.